Woman slaps cop in effort to quit smoking

May 9, 2013 6:14:02 PM PDT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. --

A Sacramento woman's crusade to quit smoking included a ploy to get sent to jail where smoking is banned.

Deputy Sheriff Matt Campoy says Etta Lopez slapped him as he left work at the Sacramento County Jail. Campoy responded by slapping handcuffs on her and hauling her off to jail. She now faces charges of assaulting a police officer.

"All of a sudden, she stepped into me and slapped me in the face. She explained it with great detail as to why. I've never been assaulted like that," Campoy said.

Detectives say Lopez told them she waited for hours outside the jail, waiting to assault an officer or a deputy so she could get arrested.

An anti-smoking group in Sacramento points out that Lopez's plot shows how big of a problem cigarettes are, especially for folks trying to kick the habit.